Immunology Seminar Series: "Complement and IFN-γ in antifungal defense and autoimmunity: From the bench to patients"

Michail Lionakis, MD, ScD NIH "Complement and IFN-γ in antifungal defense and autoimmunity: From the bench to patients" Dr. Lionakis' laboratory research focuses on 1) cellular and molecular factors that regulate the immune response against mucosal and invasive candidiasis and invasive aspergillosis in clinically relevant animal models and on 2) better understanding the genetic and immune defects that underlie enhanced susceptibility to mucocutaneous and invasive fungal infections in humans. Their goal is to develop a detailed mechanistic understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of innate and adaptive immune responses against Candida and Aspergillus with an aim to devise novel strategies to improve the diagnosis and augment or supplement the current antifungal drug treatment against candidiasis. To this end, they utilize in vitro cell culture systems and clinically relevant mouse models of mucosal and systemic Candida and Aspergillus infections to study host-fungal interactions by using a variety of immunological, biological, and imaging approaches https://duke.zoom.us/j/98145597137